Horse hitch attachment for harvesters



Jan. 6, 1948. s. c. HETH 2,433,904

HORSE HITCH ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS Filed June 29, 1946 l atentecl Jan. 6, i948 HORSE HITCH ATTACHIVIENT FOR HARVESTERS Sherman C. Heth, Racine, Wis., assignor to J. I. Case Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application June 29, 19%, Serial No. 680,469

4. Claims.

r 1 My'invention relates to a horse hitch attachment for harvesters.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a horse hitch attachment for harvesters which will be rugged in construction and eificient in operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will'be apparent from the description and claims.

In the drawings, in which an embodiment of my invention is shown,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a windrower provided with a horse-hitch attachment;

'Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the horse hitch attachment;

Fig. 3 is a vertical fore-and-aft section of the drawbars and tongues of the horse hitch attachment; and

'Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of the windrower showing its relation to the crop to be harvested.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the 'construction shown comprises a harvesting machine I and a horse hitch attachment 2 therefor.

:The harvesting machine shown is a windrower comprising a carriage having two wheels 3 and 4 at'opposite ends thereof, a short tongue 5 extending forwardly therefrom, a reciprocable sickle 6 extending in the space between the wheels 3 and 4, a divider 6 a reel 6 and an endlessconveyor 1 extending in the rear of the sickle 6 from the divider 5 toward the stubble.

The short tongue 5 may be a sheet metal boxlike construction comprising upper and lower spaced plates 1 and 8 secured together by web members 9 adjacent the side edges of the plates. A channel It] is secured across the front of the tongue 5, the flanges of the channel overlapping the upper and lower plates 1 and B. This channel has a hole therethrough to receive a tubular metal drawbar l l forming part of the horse hitch attachment. r

The horse hitch attachment comprises the drawbar II, a second tubular metal drawbar I2 extending above and forwardly of said first drawbar and secured thereto, a tongue I3 pivotally mounted on a pin l3 mounted on the second an axle 16 on which thesewheels l5 aremounte'd, an'upright pivot pin I! mounted on the second drawbar l2 to rotate about an axis in front of;

the axis of the main-tongue l3and secured to the axle 16 to rotate therewith about a vertical" axis, a short tongue I8 secured to rotate with the axle l5 and pivot pin IT, and a roller l9 mounted on the front end of the short tongue Hi to provide a lost-motion connection between the short tongue I8 and the main tongue I3. A seat 20 and footboard 2! may be mounted on the second drawbar l2.

The upper drawbar I2 is secured to the lower drawbar II by means of a metal plate 22 having an opening through which the upper drawbar I2 extends and extending downwardly and across the front end of the lower drawbar II, and a, rear metal plate 23 extending across the rear end of the upper drawbar l2 and secured thereto'and having its lower edge embracing the upper part of the lower drawbar II and secured thereto. The plates 22 and 23 may be secured to the drawbars H and 12 by welding, as indicated at 24, or in any suitable manner.

In order to brace the upper and lower drawbars with respect to each other, a metal gusset plate 25 may be provided having its upper edge welded to the upper drawbar [2, its forward edge welded to the front plate and its lower edge welded to the lower drawbar II, as indicated at 26. In order to provide a suitable support between the tongue 5 and the drawbar II, a metal collar 27 may be secured to the channel 10, through which collar the drawbar il extends.

The pivot I! may extend through a bearing sleeve 28 which extends through registering openings in the upper drawbar l2 and is secured thereto at its lower end at 28 as by welding. The tongue It may be pivotally mounted on the post 13 by means of a metal sleeve 29 rotatably swiveled on the pivotal post 13 around which sleeve the angle iron of which the tongue I3 is formed, may be bent and to which it may be secured, as by welding. A suitable washer 30 is provided for preventing the sleeve from slipping up on the pivot.

The short tongue [8 comprises a metal bar 3| through which the pin I! may extend and to which it may be welded at 32, and a lower metal ,strap or bar 33 having an opening at its lower rear end through which the pivot pin I1 extends and to which it is secured, as by welding, at 34.

The roller l9 may be secured to the short tongue by means of a pivot pin 35 extending through registering openings in the upper and lower bars 3| and 33 and through a central opening in the roll- .er IS. The roller i9 may be held against endwise in order to brace the bearing sleeve 28 with respect to the upper drawbar [2, a metal gusset 31 is provided, the upper edge of which may be welded to the drawbar l2 at 38, and the front edge of which may be welded to the upright sleeve at 39.

The lower-drawbar l-l may be attached to the windrower tongue 5 by inserting the rear end of the drawbar ll through the registering openings in the collar 2'! and channel I until the openings at the rear end of the drawbar ll register with openings in the upper and lower plates 8, and inserting an eye-bolt 40, or the like, through these registering openings.

The axle I 6 may be secured to the:pivo.t pin I1. by means of a yoke 4| welded at 42 to a sleeve 43 which is bolted to the pin II. The axle It is rockably secured to the yoke 4| by means of a pivot pin 44.

The construction is such that a, relatively small angular movement of the main tongue l3 will cause a, relatively greater angular movement of the short tongue l8 so that a relatively short change in the line of draftof the tongue I3 will cause algreater change in the line of direction of the lower tongue l8and consequently a relatively short turn.

In harvesting a; crop, the horses are driven so that the sickle. 6 extends substantially from the stubble edge 45' (Fig. 4') to the divider 6 The crop in front of the conveyor I is cut by the sickle Band falls onto this conveyor which carries it in the. direction of, the arrow A and delivers-it at the point B on top ofthat part of the cut crop which falls on the ground to the left of the point B, thus forming a windrow C, which will be out of the path of the wheels 3 and 4 in the next round and will also be out of the way of the horses feet.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it. is desired, therefore, that the'invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I.

claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l=.. A. horse hitch: attachment for: a horse-drawn.

harvesting. machine having a reciprocable sickle and aconveyor: in the rear of thesickle for receiving the grain therefrom andiconveyin'g. it towardtth stubbl'elside, andwheels for. supporting the rear of; the machine, said attachment comprising'e, metaldrawbartube having its rear end.

detachably securablev to the machine, a second metal drawbar tube extending above andparallel to; saidfirst tube and forwardly thereof, a metal plate: having an. opening through. which said upper tube extends welded tosaidupper tube and. having its lower edge welded to the lower tube, a.

plate welded to'the rear end of: said upper tube and having its lower edge weldedv to said lower. tube, an upright bearing sleeve. extending through registering, openings in thefront end of said upper tube,.a pivot pin rotatably mounted a in said sleeve, an' axle rockably secured to said nection with said short tongue whereby an angu-- lar movement of saidv long tongue. will cause a greater angular movement of said short tongue, said long tongue having connections for a whiffletree.

2. A horse hitch attachment for a horse-drawn harvesting machine having a reciprocable sickle and a conveyor in the rear of the sickle for receiving the grain therefrom andconveying it toward the stubble side, andwheels for supporting the rear of the machine, said attachment comprising a metal drawbar tube having its rear end detachably securable to the machine, a second metal drawbar tube extending above and parallel' to said first tube and forwardly thereof, a metal plate having an opening through which said upper; tube; extends welded to said upper tube and having. its lower edge welded to the lower tube, a plate welded to the rear end of said upper tube and having its lower edge welded to said. lower tube, an axle pivotally mounted on said upper tube adjacent its front end to rotate about an. upright axis, steering wheels mounted on said axle, a relatively short tongue secured to rotate withsaidaxle, and a, long tongue pivotally mounted on said upper tube and rotatable aboutan upright axis, in therear of said firstaxis, having a shiftable bearing connection with said short tongue whereby an angular movement of said long tongue will cause'a greater angular movement of said short tongue, said long tongue hav--- ing connections for awhiflletree.

3. A horse hitch attachment for a horse-drawn harvesting machine having a. reciprocable sickle and a conveyor in the-rear of the sickle for receiving the. grain'therefrom and conveying it toward the stubble side, and wheels for supportingv the-rear of th machine, said attachment comprising ametal drawbar tube having its rear end detachably securable to the machine, a second. metal drawbar tube extending above and parallel to said first tube and forwardly thereof, a metal plate having an opening through which said upper tube extends. welded to said upper tube and havingits lower edge welded to the lower tube, a plate welded-to the rear end of said upper tube and having its lower edge welded to said-lower tube, an axle-pivotally mountedonsaid upper tub adjacent its front. end to rotate about. an.-upright-axis, steering. wheels mounted on said.v a-x-le, a relativelyshort tongue. secured to rotate with: said axle, a long tongue pivotally mountedv on: said upper tube and rotatable. about an upright axis, in the rear of said first axis, having at shiftable; bearing connection with said short.

to ue whereby. an: angular movement of; said longtongue will cause egreater angular move-- 7 metal. drawbar tube extending above and parallel.

to said first tube and forwardly thereof, a metal. plate having an opening through which said. upper tube-extends welded to saidupper tube and; having its lower edge welded to the lower tube,-. aplatewelded to the rear end-of said upper tube; and; having: its: lower edge; welded to said lower tube, an upright bearing sleeve extending through registering openings in the front end of said upper tube, a pivot pin rotatably mounted in said sleeve, an axle rockably secured to said pivot pin to rotate therewith about an upright axis, steering Wheels on said axle, a relatively short tongue secured to rotate with said axle about said upright axis, a second upright pivot pin extending through registering openings in said upper tube in the rear of said first pivot pin, a

relatively long tongue extending forwardly from 

